German energy company eyes bigger slice of Australia’s off-grid renewables market

Renewable energy developer and distributor BayWa r.e. is aiming to capture more of the stand-alone power market in remote regions of Western Australian before branching out into other parts of Australia.

The push by the subsidiary of German-based BayWa Ag, which has so far brought over 4.5GW of energy online and manages over 10GW of assets worldwide, follows its success in providing standalone power technology to farming, mining and other market sectors requiring remote or microgrid power.

The company has already provided stand alone power systems to farming, mining, business communities and homeowners in parts of rural Western Australia.

State-owned electricity provider in Western Australia, Western Power, in June marked the 100^th stand alone power system across its grid and said its customer research flagged “high satisfaction” with the renewable solution

Western Power now anticipates 4,000 stand alone systems will be rolled out across the state over the next 10 years to service one of the largest isolated electricity networks in the world.

Working with a network of off-grid installers to help in design and building of its systems, BayWa r.e. says it has been able to cater to different customers, depending on factors, including size, location and customer preference.

These systems run independently off the grid and supply continuous power 24 hours a day, using a mix of solar and battery storage and backup generation — one of the most efficient local energy solutions that allows customers and the wider community in these remote areas to access a steady supply of electricity.

BayWa r.e. says expansion plans for its offering of stand alone systems include tapping into other regions in Western Australia, namely, the Kimberley and Pilbara in the north, as well as other parts of Australia, including the Northern Territory and Queensland.

“This vision of providing SPS nation-wide is part of BayWa r.e.’s commitment to aid Australia’s energy transition processes,” the company said in a statement.

BayWa r.e. says benefits that come with SPS are multi-fold and include safe and reliable sources of energy, maximised efficiency via clean energy storage, lower electricity costs and the flexibility for communities to place systems where they are needed.

“SPS is a clear choice for remote areas, agricultural and mining sectors. It is a reliable and cost-effective energy solution that can power up these communities in the interim as the country continues to expand and improve its electricity grid,” the company says.

BayWa r.e. has been operating in Australia since 2016, after transitioning from existing solar wholesaling business Solarmatrix.

Its projects team entered the Australian market through the acquisition and subsequent development of the Hughenden Solar Farm in Northern Queensland.

A wind projects team was established after it acquired a local developer, Future Energy, and its project pipeline.

In total, BayWa r.e. has delivered seven utility scale wind and solar assets in Australia, including the 112 MW Karadoc and the 106 MW Yatpool solar farms near Mildura in Victoria.